GARY, IN, March 31 — No question about it; the racist U.S. court system does not serve the working class. Levi Randolph, a Gary cop, was acquitted of reckless homicide charges by the Lake Superior Court. In January 2006, Randolph murdered Vincent Smith Jr., a 16-year-old black youth, by shooting him in the back of the head as the teen fled his cousin’s house.
Randolph claimed he was shooting in self-defense, but as stated, Smith was running away and only had a cell phone in his possession. The truth is that the working class must always be on the defensive when dealing with police. Cops are the bosses’ thugs carrying out their dirty work, terrorizing black and Latino neighborhoods. This is done to keep workers scared as racist attacks on the working class worsen.
Following Smith’s murder, PLP and community groups led protests, speeches, and vigils, demanding that Randolph be taken off the streets and charged with murder. In March 2007, when Randolph was finally indicted for “reckless homicide,” many people who were involved in this battle felt relieved that “something was finally being done” in this struggle. Unfortunately they believed the liberal lie that the bosses’ courts will solve the workers’ problems. However, Vincent Smith’s murder was not a “reckless homicide.” It was the callous execution of an unarmed young black man, which is common for police.
The trial was scheduled for November 2008. PLP led protesters gathered around the courthouse calling for Randolph’s head. The judge then declared a mistrial, saying that jurors had been compromised by the action outside.
In March 2010, Randolph’s trial finally took place. Randolph was defended in court by Scott King, the crooked former mayor of Gary. He charmed the jury and perpetuated the lie that Randolph shot Smith in self-defense. The prosecuting attorney made little effort to argue her case, even referring to Smith as the “figure in the black hoodie.” It is not a surprise that the prosecutor would throw away a case that involved the police murder of a black youth.
Throughout the four-year campaign there were many lessons learned from this struggle. But none rang louder than the fact that the cops and courts work hand-in-fist to oppress the working class. Justice cannot be found in the bosses’ courts, and the cops are their thugs.
Racism cannot be fought by relying on the bosses. Yet, the best thing to come out of the campaign was the anti-racist, working-class unity that brought people together to fight against this police murder.
Only through this unity and communist politics from Progressive Labor Party can we end the bosses’ rule and the police terror they use to oppress the whole working class. J